One of the most challenging tasks for most small businesses is knowing how to generate quality leads into their business. There are many lead-generation strategies that can be easily implemented. Choosing which ones will work best for your business can be confusing.

At Bind Studio, balancing the need to focus on day-to-day operations with the desire to showcase the brands and knowledge of our team has been a challenge. However, we recognize the significance of exhibiting our expertise to establish trust and credibility with our clients. This will ultimately lead to the development of valuable and long-lasting business relationships.

So it’s time to break the silence, cut through the noise and deliver on our promise to ourselves.

Long term vs Short term

There are three main types of lead generation strategies

• Offline networking, and relationship building that builds a community with mutual referral benefits
• Online organic content marketing
• Paid marketing online and offline

There will be another blog shortly that will go into each of these in greater detail. But as an overview, ideally, you should aim to do all 3 of these to give your business a chance of getting found and your voice getting heard. A quick look at the pros and cons of each method.

Offline networking

Networking requires patience and persistence, as it can be hit-or-miss. Don’t get discouraged by early setbacks. Consider networking as a spectrum of opportunities, ranging from pure networking events to sector-specific expos and everything in between. Slow and steady, you can build your reputation through leisurely pursuits that allow you to network.

Networking meetings purely for networking are challenging for small businesses but if you find one that charges a fee and offers value for money where you can develop your knowledge and skills may be more preferable. We have certainly won business this way, but through patience and consistent attendance and by building trust, it wasn’t instant. This lead generation strategy is long term and requires persistence and patience, but is effective.

Online organic content marketing for lead generation 

This still outperforms many other lead-generation methods. This is because it is based on thought leadership. Writing blogs, producing videos, authoring e-books, or creating downloadable guides and tools are all still extremely popular. This is because it allows your audience to see the expertise you hold in your field. Also, the knowledge you impart allows them to learn at their own pace, whilst implicitly building trust because you are giving without asking for anything in return.

Content and the sales funnel

To establish a reputation and build trust, you must begin with a low-risk or no-risk offer. This means that you are not requiring your audience to make any financial commitment until they are confident in your authenticity and quality. Providing ample information and resources through blogs or videos is one way to generate leads, and offering free trials or freemium sign-ups can further drive engagement and interest from potential customers.

This is the way in which to entice your prospective clients into the sales funnel. It also attracts more qualified leads, people who are genuinely interested in what you offer and are willing to pay. The challenge most business face here is where is the line where free ends and payment begins. The answer lies in where you are offering value but not actionable steps that you would take them through if they were paying clients.

Lead Generation Strategies Whilst You Sleep

If you choose content creation as your approach, it will continue to generate results even when you are not actively working, as it remains accessible 24/7. Blogs that consistently deliver valuable and relevant information maintain their popularity for a long time. Maximize the impact of your content by creating a clear and consistent strategy, showcased through your website and enhanced by a valuable resource like a guide, e-book, or tool that your audience can access.

Many small business owners become uneasy when this strategy is recommended, as they fear giving away too much. This fear is unwarranted. In fact, the more you give, the more likely it is that potential customers will become engaged and interested in your offerings, to the point where they will be willing to pay for it. Trusting in this strategy will help build strong, loyal relationships with your audience.

Real world example of content lead generation

HubSpot is the epitome of balancing expertise with daily operations. They generously share vast amounts of information on online marketing, allowing users to learn everything from their website alone. However, they are also a market leader in their field. Their trusted brand and strong engagement with their audience keep them at the forefront of industry trends and demands. HubSpot offers CRM systems and solutions for businesses operating online.

Search Engine Optimisation

The content and downloadable collateral will keep traffic coming to your website as well as keeping it on your site. By providing valuable information and engaging with your audience, you can increase your domain authority, which improves your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). For those not familiar with this, it’s basically pleasing the search engines and reassuring them that you are an authentic, reputable business. If this is how they view your brand, they will serve you higher in the search results. This gives you peak visibility without spending lots on advertisements and therefore is known as organic digital marketing.

Products vs Services

This lead generation strategy is very much aligned to service-based business, particularly in the business-to-business space. But it also works for those who are in retail. Having a tangible product that the public consume still requires a level of education that the audience seeks before committing to a purchase.

Understanding your client’s buyer journey will help you with this as well as ongoing research into what problems your clients face and how your product or service solves them.

Paid advertising

The paid advertising approach, known as a pull strategy, targets potential customers who may not yet be aware of their need for your product. If they are aware, it aims to keep your business top of mind when they are actively searching for it. This is why online advertising is decimating printed media. Because it is easier to track customer behaviour online and sell advertising off the back of it. This allows advertisers to pinpoint the demographic they wish to show their advert to and can also see if there has been engagement on it and if so what type. You don’t get that kind of data from a newspaper.

Traditional advertising rules apply

Although it is easier to target it’s still a challenge to create adverts that cut through the noise and grab attention. Therefore, the strategies you employ online for your organic posts are identical to those you use as paid advertisements. It’s called target marketing and it’s essential because it aligns your message with your audience and fosters empathy. It must also fit into an objective, what action do you want the reader to take next? Visit your website? Sign up for an offer? Visit a store? There is a very cohesive strategy required when advertising online.

Target your offline paid advertising and have a clear goal for where you want readers to go next. Ideally, you would pick a publication that you can advertise in regularly as one standalone advertisement is never going to convert.

All advertising has to build trust whilst showing understanding of your audience and empathy with their struggles. For paid advertising to be effective, it must grab people’s attention. Research shows that it takes an average of 14 brand exposures for a consumer to take notice. Consistent promotion of your brand in the same place is crucial to make your advertising noticeable.

These are brief overviews and there will be further blogs to go into detail on many of the strategies outlined here.

How can we help your lead generation strategies?

How do graphic designers contribute to your lead generation strategies? We understand businesses. We know the importance of a well crafted, professional logo design. We are based in Bolton, Greater Manchester and work with many local businesses to transform their marketing communications, from logo design, to the design of e-book templates, presentation templates, packaging, menus, signage. brochures. flyers. business cards. These all help to generate leads and build trust. Keeping you magnificently unique!

Please give us a call for a no obligation chat around your needs.

or alternatively email: info@bindstudio.co.uk